Feta stays firm in hot soup because its brine-cured proteins resist melting, unlike cheddar—so it adds tang without going gooey.
Broccoli Feta Soup
Eat all your greens with this creamy little soup that will warm your heart. The broccoli, feta and orzo make for a winning combination in this delicious soup!
Prep
5
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 1 lb (450 g) broccoli
- chili pepper flakes, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- lemon juice
- 2 cups (0.50 l) water
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 4 cups (0.95 l) low sodium chicken broth
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 3.5 oz (100 g) feta cheese*
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- drizzle of olive oil
- 3/4 cup (120 g) orzo pasta**
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Rinse and slice your broccoli into florets and dice the stems too.
- 2
To a medium stock pot, add all of the broccoli pieces, garlic, broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover your pot and cook for 30 minutes.
- 3
Using a potato masher, gently smash the broccoli about 6 times. Leave large and small pieces in the soup for texture. Add in the orzo and cook uncovered, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Stay on top of the pot, the pasta will stick if left unattended.
- 4
Remove the pot from the burner and crumble in your feta. Mix it in. Serve in your bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, squeeze on some lemon juice and top with chili pepper flakes to taste.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Dice the broccoli stems smaller than the florets since they contain denser cellulose fibers and take roughly 1.5x longer to break down at a simmer.technique1.5x longer cook time
- ✓Simmer the broccoli at a gentle bubble (185-195°F) rather than a rolling boil for the full 30 minutes, since aggressive boiling breaks down cell walls too fast and releases sulfur compounds, causing a bitter, overcooked cabbage-like flavor.technique185-195°F
- ✓Stir the orzo constantly during its 15-minute cook because the starch released from the pasta surface settles and scorches on the pot bottom within 60-90 seconds of inactivity, especially once the broth thickens from the mashed broccoli.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Remove the pot from heat before crumbling in the feta, since feta's protein structure breaks and turns grainy above 160°F, whereas melting it gently in residual heat keeps it creamy.ingredient160°F threshold
- ✓Add lemon juice only at serving time, not during cooking, because its acidity would otherwise cause the broccoli's chlorophyll to degrade into pheophytin, dulling the vibrant green color to olive-brown.timingadd at serving
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